


Coming Home

by treya_barton



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: F/M, Post-Advent Children (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:22:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: Cloud returns home early from a delivery and grows worried when he realizes 7th Heaven is empty with Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel nowhere to be seen.  In the process, he begins to reconsider his relationship with Tifa and what their home means to him.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	Coming Home

Something was off with Tifa. Cloud returned early from one of his deliveries to find the bar strangely silent. It set him on edge, and after putting away his bike he quickly entered the residence, wondering at the lack of noise that would usually be coming from upstairs from Denzel and Marlene. There also wasn’t any sound coming from the bar, and when Cloud ducked his head inside he furrowed his brows when he realized it was dark and that everything was put away. Tifa never closed the bar – she liked the work and getting to chat with the regulars and honestly was probably the highlight of many of their days. 

Tifa was not only beautiful, but she also had a calming presence that came from her easygoing way of interacting with people; Cloud certainly benefitted from it and not for the first time he found himself having to come to terms with the fact that it was the same for others as well. He didn’t know if he felt better about the fact Tifa seemed to add an extra touch of care in her support of him or if it just added to his longtime sense of guilt that seemed to be such an integral part of their relationship. Cloud quickly headed upstairs, footsteps treading silently, naturally knowing exactly where to step to avoid any of the steps creaking and giving away his presence. He quickly realized from their open doors and empty bedrooms that Denzel and Marlene didn’t appear to be home, and upon ducking his head into the room he shared with Tifa – with separate beds mind you – he frowned and his blue eyes began glow with mako energy out of concern.

Cloud pulled out his phone, pressing Tifa’s name which was first on his contacts, before waiting impatiently for her to pick up. After ringing a few times he felt relief wash over him as she finally answered, although the concern remained due to the tired tone of her voice she was trying her best to hide. “Cloud?” she asked curiously. It was obvious she hadn’t expected him to call, and his guilt only seemed to grow over the realization.

“Where are you?” he asked, his voice cool and steady with only the slightest hint of his concern. Apparently, the hint was enough for Tifa to latch onto, for her tone took on a calming lilt that managed to set him at ease.

“I was just dropping off Marlene and Denzel with Elmyra,” Tifa replied. “She’s been feeling lonely and asked to take care of them over the weekend. They enjoy visiting – she tends to spoil them,” she said, voice fond. “I am actually on my way back now. Are you home?”

Cloud’s eyebrows furrowed, and his lips turned down into a small frown. If he hadn’t come home, that would mean Tifa would have been alone for a few days. She was tough – certainly tougher than he was in her ability to shoulder the burdens of others – but tended to seem a bit at a loss when she didn’t have others to care for and focus her energy on. He knew that when she was alone she tended to fall a bit into melancholy, thinking about all that she had lost over the years, having her own guilts and sorrows to preoccupy herself with. Things that she did not share with others even though she was always more than willing to lend an ear to everyone else’s troubles.

Cloud was struck with the realization that part of the problem was that he and the others allowed her to do so instead of trying harder to step in and provide support. Instead of allowing himself to wallow in even more guilt, Cloud thought back to his internal promise after he had been cured of geostigma to be there for Tifa and to support the family and return the kindness she had shown him over the years. Tifa had been a steadfast support to him, had saved him from himself, and Cloud vividly remembered the blessing Aerith’s spirit had given him when she had healed him and left with Zack after saying their final farewells. He had kept himself at a distance, not feeling like he deserved to be happy after what had happened to Aerith, and he had a feeling that Tifa had shared the feeling as well. But he knew that Aerith was at peace and wanted both of them to be happy, and it was about time he tried to do something about it instead of being content with how things were. He knew Tifa wanted more, even if she held herself back out of consideration of him and how fragile his heart was after all these years. Cloud then realized he hadn’t replied to Tifa’s question, and he inwardly cursed. “I am,” he finally said.

“Where you worried about me?” she teased, hiding her concern with her lighthearted tone.

“I was,” he replied honestly, and she was suddenly quiet.

He waited patiently as he headed downstairs and to the bar, wanting to see the moment she arrived home. He flicked on the light, wishing for it to feel more inviting for her, before heading behind the bar to pour them both a drink. Tifa hummed after a moment of silence before saying, “I am sure it was quite a surprise to come home to us not being here. I didn’t expect you to be home so soon so I didn’t let you know. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“I finished the job early,” Cloud replied. “It’s not something you need to apologize for – you didn’t know.”

“Did you mean to surprise me?” she asked curiously, and Cloud felt his cheeks flush. He suddenly felt shy, and he was brought back to their childhood when he used to try to impress her. Now that they were adults and she had seen him at his most vulnerable, he knew what a waste of time that was – she would always be more impressive than he was. He hadn’t thought about it, but realized that he probably had wanted to surprise her, and part of the feeling he had when he returned to an empty house had been disappointment until worry had overtaken him.

“I guess I hadn’t expected things to be empty,” he stated. He was sure Tifa would be able to read between the lines of his statement – she was very astute when it came to him. He would need to do better in return. Cloud didn’t mind his delivery work and being away from home because he was assured that every time he came back Tifa and the kids would be there waiting for him; he realized it was selfish of him to forget they had their own lives and things to do while he was away.

Tifa let out a small sigh, and Cloud felt his chest ache for a moment. There was something going on with Tifa, and he vowed that he would do something about it this time. He suddenly felt glad that his job had wrapped up early so he was able to be home to help support her as she always supported him. He knew he wasn’t great at it – he was shit at talking and opening up – but he was willing to try for her sake. Tifa meant a lot to him, she always had, and it was about time she realized just how much. “I’m almost home, see you soon,” she said, before hanging up.

Cloud pulled away his phone, frowning at the end call screen before it flicked back to his home screen. It was a picture of Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel taken shortly after he and Denzel had been cured of the geostigma. He had been away on a delivery when Tifa had sent it to him, and he absentmindedly wondered if it had been her subtle way of saying they missed him and wondered when he would be coming home. Cloud set down his phone before taking a sip of his drink, and he pondered over how he would approach the conversation with Tifa once she arrived. It was in Cloud’s nature to be blunt, but he knew in this instance he should probably tread more carefully. 

His thoughts were interrupted as the door to the bar clicked as it was unlocked and it swung open to reveal Tifa who gave him a tired smile. She looked a little rundown, and Cloud suddenly wondered if Elmyra’s offer had been due to the older woman feeling lonely or if she had been able to discern the fact that Tifa needed a break. “Have you eaten yet?” Tifa asked, peering at him with thoughtful, dark red eyes. It was almost funny how she was basically his opposite in every way, and yet how well they seemed to complement each other. She stepped toward the kitchen behind the bar, obviously planning on making something. Cloud quietly followed.

“I’ll cook something,” he volunteered, and she shot him an amused glance.

“I think it is better for both our stomachs that I must decline,” she teased. “I would like something more than instant ramen tonight.” She began to rummage through the fridge while Cloud let out a frown. She wasn’t exactly wrong – he tended to buy cheap, convenience store food when not at home and “cooking” for him usually involved heating things up in the microwave or boiling water. But he didn’t like being reminded at how little he could provide in the form of support.

“Then I’ll help,” he insisted. Tifa turned to look at him, her long hair spilling over her shoulder before she tossed it back as she returned to her task at hand.

“I never mind having extra help,” she replied, before pulling out a few vegetables. “How does curry sound?” she asked.

Cloud’s stomach growled in response, and he let out a grimace as she began to laugh in reply. “I’ll take that as an agreement,” she teased before closing the fridge. He noticed she had a bit of a bounce in her step all of a sudden, and realized she was probably happy he was home. She rinsed off the vegetables, before setting him up with a chopping board and a knife; Cloud was able to cut vegetables after their past few years of living together, through her patient instruction of course.

She began to rinse the rice, humming to herself as she got to work, and Cloud found himself distractedly looking up at her as he slowly, yet steadily, chopped away at the vegetables. Tifa really was beautiful – she always had been – and he realized he was beginning to regret his time spent away from home instead of getting to appreciate quiet moments like these in her presence. He also missed the kids, and while he was a little regretful he wouldn’t get to see them for the next few days, he realized that he appreciated the moment alone with Tifa. It had been a long time since it was just the two of them. Suddenly, his knife slipped, and he hissed and jerked his hand away as a line of blood bloomed along the side of his finger where he had cut himself.

Tifa turned, frowning when she watched him reach up to suck on the wound. “I don’t think so,” she said, walking over and grabbing his hand before dragging him to the sink. He watched a few droplets fall to the ground until she stuck it under the tap, allowing the warm water to wash away the blood as she instructed him to wash the wound. While Cloud obediently washed his hands, she went searching for their first aid kit, and was soon helping him dry his hand off before wiping at the cut with an antiseptic wipe and gently blowing on it before applying an antibiotic ointment and wrapping it up with a bandage.

Cloud felt his eyes drawn to her hands and her face, and he was mesmerized as he watched her efficiently work. She had done the same thing for Denzel especially but also Marlene and had done the same for him and the others back in the day, but it had been awhile since he had allowed himself to receive her care. Tifa had a gentle strength – her care was not as soft as Aerith’s had been but it was no less caring – and he didn’t realize that a faint blush had formed on his cheeks again. “Do you know how to get the rice started?” she asked, staring at him carefully in order to discern the truth regardless of the answer that fell from his lips.

Cloud pondered for a moment – he had watched her and Marlene do the process enough that he knew what buttons to push and how much water to put in. “Yes,” he said, voice confident.

Tifa raised an eyebrow before reluctantly pulling her hands away from his. Cloud glanced down at the lack of contact and frowned. “Alright, I’ll finish chopping the vegetables then,” she said, stepping away to wrap up the task.

Cloud let out a small pout without realizing it as he dumped the rice in the rice cooker and brought the pot over to the sink to fill it to the right amount. He then placed it back in the cooker before shutting the lid and setting it to cook. By the time he was finished, Tifa had made quick work of the rest of the vegetables and had started work on peeling the potatoes. “Pull out the chicken so you can defrost it,” she directed him as she kept her eye on her work; she had a steady hand as she deftly made quick work at the skin with her knife.

Cloud raised an eyebrow over the fact Tifa didn’t have any meat out to thaw; he suddenly wondered if he hadn’t come home what she would have done about dinner. He had a feeling she had planned on something quick and convenient and couldn’t help but feel slight annoyance at the realization she had changed her mind on his behalf. Cloud pulled out the chicken and set it on a plate before popping it in the microwave and setting it to defrost. He then leaned against the counter and quietly watched her work, his eyes studying her face – the slight quirk of her eyebrows as she concentrated on the task at hand, the dip of her shoulders indicating her tiredness she was struggling to hide, and the overall weariness that had settled over her while he had been away. She glanced up when she sensed his staring, red eyes meeting blue, and tilted her head. He noted she had enough sense to stop peeling in the process.

“Everything alright?” she asked, and Cloud crossed his arms as he considered her question. The question was aimed at him, and while he was technically fine and in fact happy to be home and by her side again, things were not alright based on the very fact she was not alright. He wondered how to approach the question and whether or not now was the correct time to address it.

“I’m fine,” he finally replied after a moment of hesitation. She could tell based on his tone that he was telling the truth, but she could also tell by his hesitance something was on his mind.

“I have a feeling that doesn’t fully answer my question,” she commented before returning to her task at hand.

He let out a small sigh, and behind him the microwave let out a ding to let them know the chicken was ready. “I suppose it doesn’t,” he said softly before going to pull it out. Tifa made short work of the potatoes and set them aside in a bowl before pulling out a pot and drizzling in some oil as it began to heat up. She then added onion once it was hot enough, before handing Cloud the wooden spoon so he could keep the onion from burning while she chopped up the chicken. Tifa then began adding the other vegetables – carrots and orange and red bell peppers – and let them cook for a few minutes before adding the chicken. 

“Let me know when it’s cooked through,” she said before going to clean up everything they had used for the prep work. Once the chicken was cooked through, she added water to the pot and once it started to boil she added the potatoes before turning down the heat to allow it to simmer.

They then headed to the bar to sip on their drinks while they waited the 20 necessary minutes to add the curry blocks. “So what are you failing to tell me?” she asked curiously after they clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

Cloud leaned against the bar, his eyes roaming over her again. “It’s more what you’ve failed to tell me,” he prodded.

Tifa appeared confused and set her drink down. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“You look tired,” he replied, carefully biting back the accusation that was forming in his throat. He wanted to be supportive, not to cause an argument. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Tifa let out a sigh. “I didn’t want to worry you on the job,” she said. “It’s been awhile since I took a day off. It’s why when Elmyra offered to take the kids I decided to close the bar for the weekend.”

‘She definitely knew,’ Cloud decided. It was Elmyra’s way to ensure Tifa got a much needed break.

“You were going to stay home alone?” he asked, unable to hide the concern that suddenly laced his voice.

Tifa glanced up at him before biting her lip. “I’m not sure. I hadn’t really thought ahead,” she admitted. “Maybe I would have gone to see Yuffie. Or maybe I…” she trailed off, a slight blush forming as she was suddenly confronted with a truth she had not expected.

“You, what?” Cloud prodded, feeling his heart warm as he watched the myriad of emotions flickering across the young woman’s face. She quickly turned around, and his eyes widened slightly. “Tifa…”

“I would have gone to find you,” she admitted quietly. Cloud suddenly set down his drink, his heart pounding at her confession. “Ah, I feel so foolish…” Cloud had added a family tracker to his phone so they would always be able to find him in case of an emergency. He knew that it gave Tifa a sense of security and after all of his secrets while he had geostigma he had decided to do the best he could to open up and support her.

She flinched as his arms suddenly wrapped around her shoulders as Cloud rested his head on top of hers, before relaxing back into his embrace. It had been a long time since they had appreciated each other’s warmth. “I would have liked that,” he said, his quiet voice expressing his sincere feelings, and he felt the tension ease out of her.

“I always think about it – going out to see you. But I stop myself, thinking I would only be a burden,” she confessed. Cloud tightened his hold.

“You would never be a burden,” he said, his normally quiet voice turning deep in the intensity of his feelings. Tifa let out a shiver as his breath brushed against her ear due to how close they were. “Anytime you want to see me, you are welcome to join me.”

Tifa let out a small laugh, before her hands reached up to squeeze his arms in appreciation. “That means a lot to me,” she replied.

The timer on her phone suddenly went off, indicating the 20 minutes was over, and Cloud reluctantly loosened his hold so Tifa could pull away. She shot him a smile, some of her usual energy returning as she stepped past him and back into the kitchen. Tifa dumped in the curry blocks, before getting him to stir as they dissolved in the hot water, and then went to check on the rice which was also finished.

“You really did know what to do,” she said, voice light and teasing as Cloud shot her a glare. Within 5 minutes, the curry was ready to eat, and Tifa served them both a large portion before they returned to the bar. She refilled their drinks before they stood close to one another, appreciating the warm meal and being back in each other’s presence.

“How did the job go?” Tifa asked, as at the same time Cloud asked, “How were things while I was away?” A wide grin crossed Tifa’s face, and as she began to giggle at him, Cloud couldn’t help the small smile that alit his own.

“You know, if you called or texted more, you wouldn’t have to wonder,” Tifa lightly replied as she shoveled out another spoonful of curry.

“If I’m home more then I would wonder even less,” Cloud countered, and Tifa’s spoon fell from her fingers as she turned to look at him. “I’m not saying I’ll stop completely – I make good money doing the work and we both know we need it. But I think I can cut down on it more and help out around here.” His unspoken addition was ‘So you wouldn’t have to feel so tired,’ and he watched as Tifa’s eyes softened.

“Only if it’s what you truly want,” she firmly responded, eyes searching his face.

“What is it you want?” he slowly asked. Tifa never asked for much – if anything at all – and it was about time someone looked after her needs. Cloud wanted to be that person – had wanted it for a long time and just didn’t know how.

Tifa reached forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. Cloud, after a moment of surprise, returned the embrace. “I want more of this,” she replied. “I want you to be home more. I know the kids do too. And…” she trailed off, biting her lip.

Cloud lifted her head, before carefully tugging at her bottom lip with his thumb until it pulled free. He gave her a patient look, his blue eyes becoming clearer and losing the usual green glow for a moment as he watched her. Tifa let out a sigh. “I want to know where we stand.” She stared him down, her eyes taking on a fiery look that he normally only got to witness on the battlefield. He realized with a start that this was her way of confessing her feelings, and the sudden intensity was the depth of her love for him. Cloud sucked in a breath, but instead of pulling away as he may have in the past, he instead held on to her a little firmer.

“I want to support you,” he started slowly. “I want to be the one you go to when you’re feeling tired,” he added. “I feel jealous when I see the impact you have on your patrons’ day, selfishly when I know you support me even more.” He looked a bit guilty at that, although Tifa’s eyes lit up at the admission. He felt a little better, knowing that it pleased her.

“Why Cloud, I didn’t think you cared,” she smiled, although she had no bite in her words.

“I want you to know how much I care every day so you’ll never forget,” he pressed, blushing at his honesty. He felt like this was the most he had spoken in ages. “I want to do better for you. I…” he trailed off his, his throat constricting now that he was finally trying to say the words.

Tifa let out a small laugh before smiling at him and reaching up to press a finger to his lips. “I love you,” she said, surprisingly shy when in all other things she stood steadfast and strong. Tifa had always been less assertive in matters of the heart, even if she had been a little bolder when Aerith was around.

Although Cloud had already known, he couldn’t help but feel joy bubble up inside now that it was finally in the open. He leaned forward, and Tifa met him halfway as their lips brushed together. “I love you as well,” he murmured against her lips, and he felt Tifa’s smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck, yanking him forward in order to deepen the kiss. Cloud let out a muffled grunt by the intensity of the action, reminded yet again just how strong the woman in his arms was, before returning his focus to how freeing it felt to finally be together. He somehow imagined that Aerith was looking over them, smiling over the fact they had finally been honest with each other, and his grip around Tifa’s waist tightened as he deepened their kiss.

When they finally pulled away, Tifa was giving him her brilliant smile, and Cloud wondered how he had allowed himself to spend so much time apart from it. “Looks like we finally need to invest in a larger bed,” she said lightly, and Cloud began to stutter before a bright red flush spread across his cheeks. “I think it would make Marlene and Denzel happy,” she thoughtfully mused. “They never seemed to like the distance between us.”

Cloud continued to hold her as he steadfastly replied, “I’ll make sure everyone knows that there’s no distance between us,” and she couldn’t help but giggle at his sudden childishness. 

“You almost seem like you were back then,” she mused. “Back when you told me you would protect me.”

“Now I can. Not that you usually need it,” he muttered.

“We protect each other,” she agreed, before picking up their empty bowls. “We will have to figure out what to do with our free time this weekend,” she commented as she headed to the sink to rinse them off.

“I have a few ideas,” he slowly responded as he followed her. “But first, I want you to relax tonight.”

“And what do you propose?” she asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she began to rinse the dishes.

“I think we should start with a warm bath, maybe a few candles and some of that scented bath salt you seem to enjoy,” he began, hands making their way to her shoulders as he gently began to rub some of the knots from her muscles. “Then maybe a nice massage to help you relax – you’re feeling pretty tight…”

“And then?” she asked, turning to look at him.

“And then we push the beds together and see how well that’ll work out until we invest in the new one,” he said, a slight twitch at the edge of his lips. Tifa’s eyes twinkled at him in amusement, before she tugged on his arm. 

“Let’s get started on that bath,” she said, and he felt his heart leap in anticipation as she headed toward the stairs, flicking off the light to the bar as they left. Cloud realized with a start that he truly felt like he was home – a concept that he had lost all those years ago after what had happened in Nibelheim. While he had been slowly building this home with Tifa – what had happened with the geostigma had left him feeling adrift again – and he now knew with newfound resolve that it truly was his home and this was his family. Cloud felt his lips tug into a wider grin, a rarity for him, and he suddenly scooped Tifa in his arms, causing her to yell and barely hold back from swinging her fist at his face.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Put me down!” Her indignation faded as she saw the playful expression in his eyes and she frowned as she crossed her arms as he began to head up the stairs. Tifa purposefully made herself deadweight in retaliation, but Cloud was thankfully more than strong enough to carry her regardless. He ended up making a beeline for their bedroom and set her down on the bed before pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

“I’ll get the bath ready,” he said before stepping into the bathroom, and he felt lighthearted as he heard her let out a carefree sigh before flopping back on the bed. He then heard her sit up and begin to move the beds together, and he tried his best to fight down the blush as he began to start the bathwater. It wouldn’t be their first time together, although it had been awhile and it would be the first time being completely open with one another. He looked forward to it, to getting to know Tifa in a more intimate way, and Cloud suddenly doubled down on his resolve to be home more often and to be more supportive. He regretted already giving Tifa his ring since it meant having to find a new one that would somehow be just as meaningful to replace it with. While he knew she would be happy with anything he would give her, he knew that she deserved far more than that and it was about time he treated her in the way she deserved. Cloud found himself looking forward to it, and for the first time he began to look forward to the future, instead of being stuck in the past.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story for my friend Thar @thecinnaminion on Twitter. She has really wonderful art and especially always does an excellent job drawing Tifa and I thought she would appreciate a nice Cloti story. I've always liked this pairing - Tifa is my favorite FFVII character and I really appreciate her friendship with Cloud - so hopefully I've done the pairing justice since it's my first time writing them ^^


End file.
